Radiation exposure to the thymus during non-small cell lung cancer treatment is associated with worse outcomes in patients being treated for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published in the journal Annals of Oncology. Thymus Health and Radiation Risks in NSCLC Patients Until recently, the thymus was thought to be of little … Read more
Researchers at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) are developing inhaler technologies designed for young children and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who cannot generate the deep, strong breath required by standard medical devices, according to project leader. Traditional inhalers often leave substantial medication trapped inside the device or deposited in the patient’s mouth … Read more
According to a laboratory study published in Scientific Reports by researchers including D. Mirra and colleagues, cigarette smoke extract (CSE) compromises human airway epithelial barriers and increases cellular vulnerability to polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs). The research team investigated how sequential exposure to these environmental stressors reduces cell metabolic activity and alters structural proteins in human bronchial … Read more
Rapidly developing antibiotic resistance during severe lung infections can occur when patients acquire circular pieces of DNA called plasmids from transient environmental bacteria, according to researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Publishing their findings in Nature Microbiology, the team reported that this gene transfer can cause pathogen resistance to jump more than … Read more
Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, who was diagnosed with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in 2001 and given a prognosis of just three to five years, is spearheading an effort to redefine the condition beyond its traditional association with smoking. According to Koppel, 25% to 40% of people who’ve never smoked get the disease, highlighting … Read more
Research from the University of Virginia (UVA) Comprehensive Cancer Center indicates that a buildup of bile acids, triggered by an unhealthy gut microbiome, can drive hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer to metastasize to other organs, particularly the lungs. According to Melanie Rutkowski, PhD, this mechanism suggests that FDA-approved bile acid sequestrants or microbiome replenishment could … Read more
New research from University College London (UCL) and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) indicates that effective respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) treatments for infants must target both the virus and the host’s immune response. Published in Nature Communications, the study utilized a novel lab-grown model of infant airways to demonstrate that the pediatric immune system triggers … Read more
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health have identified that H5N1 bird flu infects dairy cattle primarily through specific N-linked sialic acid receptors found in mammary glands, rather than the respiratory tract. This discovery explains why the virus causes severe mastitis in cows instead of traditional respiratory symptoms, providing a new framework … Read more
Researchers have identified a novel genetic disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the TMEM63B gene, according to a report published in the American Journal of Human Genetics. This condition manifests as severe childhood interstitial lung disease, distinct from previously identified neurological symptoms linked to different mutations in the same gene. The discovery, facilitated by … Read more
The Future of Lung Care: How Biomimetic Nanotech is Changing the Game For decades, the standard treatment for pulmonary fibrosis—a condition characterized by the progressive scarring of lung tissue—has relied heavily on oral medications. While effective for some, these drugs often come with a heavy price: systemic side effects that impact the liver and other … Read more